Consumers Guide To Yacht Rock.


A genre that seems to have crept up on me over the last few months. Following the BBC 4 documentary about the style, (June 2019) I decided to see how many tracks that are considered yacht rock I have lurking in my collection. Back in the 70’s, this version of soft rock, had been labelled by critics, a bit unfairly I thought, HEL(L) (Hip Easy Listening).

The genres hay-day was probably early 1970’s to mid 1980’s

After about half an hour listening to my playlist, I must admit I was feeling that I needed something a bit edgier, meatier or avant-garde to shake things up a bit. Individually the songs all stand up well, but it all seems a bit too safe after a while.

Well produced, some might say over produced, well played by skilled musicians and singers as opposed by today’s pop music that is sampled and sequenced off a hard drive with auto tuned vocals.
Mainly west coast American artists, but not entirely. UK artists - Average White Band, Ace, 10cc, Al Stewart, Bee Gees, Robert Palmar all make appearances.

As was noticed in the documentary, not many female or black artists. Not that there was an exclusive club, more that those artists were not interested in producing that style of music at the time.

So, if you happen to be lucky enough to be on a yacht off the coast of California or on a long boat on the Basingstoke Canal, here are a few (160+) suggestions for your playlist.

List Format:  Artist - Track - Where to Find It (For anyone that still likes a physical format!) - Year

10cc - Dreadlock Holiday - Bloody Tourists - 1978
10cc - The Things We Do for Love - Deceptive Bends - 1977
Ace - How Long - Five A Side - 1974
Al Stewart - Time Passages - Time Passages - 1978
Al Stewart - Year Of The Cat - Year Of The Cat - 1976
America - A Horse With No Name - America - 1971
America - Sister Golden Hair - Hearts - 1975
America - Ventura Highway - Homecoming - 1972
Asia - Heat of the Moment - Asia - 1982
Average White Band - Atlantic Avenue - Feel No Fret - 1979
Average White Band - Let's Go Round Again - Shine - 1980
Average White Band - Person To Person - AWB (White Album) - 1974
Average White Band - Queen Of My Soul - Soul Searching - 1976
Average White Band - Work To Do - AWB (White Album) - 1974
Bachman-Turner Overdrive - Jamaica - BTO's Greatest - 1981
Bachman-Turner Overdrive - You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet - BTO's Greatest - 1981
Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb - Guilty - Their Greatest Hits: The Record (CD 2) - 1980
Bee Gees - Emotion - The Miami Years - 1977
Bee Gees - Love You Inside Out - Spirits Having Flown - 1979
Bee Gees - Nights on Broadway - Main Course - 1974
Bee Gees - You Should Be Dancing - Children of the World - 1976
Billy Joel - Big Shot - 52nd Street - 1978
Billy Joel - Only the Good Die Young - The Stranger - 1977
Billy Joel - Say Goodbye to Hollywood - Turnstiles - 1976
Billy Joel - Until the Night - 52nd Street - 1978
Billy Joel - Uptown Girl - An Innocent Man - 1983
Blood, Sweat & Tears - Got to Get You into My Life - Definitive Collection - 1975
Bob Welch - Sentimental Lady - French Kiss - 1977
Bon Jovi - It's My Life - Crush - 2000
Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer - Slippery When Wet - 1986
Bon Jovi - You Give Love A Bad Name - Slippery When Wet - 1986
Bonnie Raitt - Nick Of Time - Nick Of Time - 1989
Boston - Don't Look Back - Don't Look Back - 1978
Boston - More Than a Feeling - Boston - 1976
Boz Scaggs - Lido Shuffle - Silk Degrees - 1976
Boz Scaggs - Lowdown - Silk Degrees - 1976
Carole King - I Feel the Earth Move - Tapestry - 1971
Cat Stevens - Peace Train - Teaser and the Firecat - 1971
Cate Brothers - Union Man - Cate Brothers - 1975
Cheap Trick - I Want You To Want Me - At Budokan - The Complete Concert (CD2) - 1978
Christopher Cross - Christopher Cross/Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) - Magic Moments: The Definitive Burt Bacharach Collection (CD 3) - 2008
Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blues - Pacific Ocean Blue - 1977
Dennis Wilson - River Song - Pacific Ocean Blue - 1977
Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits - 1978
Dire Straits - Tunnel of Love - Making Movies - 1980
Donald Fagen - I.G.Y. - The Nightfly - 1982
Eagles - Already Gone - On The Border - 1974
Eagles - I Can't Tell You Why - The Long Run - 1979
Eagles - The Long Run - The Long Run - 1979
Eagles - One Of These Nights - One Of These Nights - 1975
Eagles - Take It Easy - Eagles - 1972
Earth, Wind & Fire - Fantasy - All 'N All - 1977
Earth, Wind & Fire - Saturday Nite - Spirit - 1976
Earth, Wind & Fire - Star - I Am - 1979
Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky - Out of the Blue - 1977
Electric Light Orchestra - Telephone Line - A New World Record - 1976
Elton John - Island Girl - Rock of the Westies - 1975
Elton John - Tiny Dancer - Madman Across the Water - 1971
Eric Clapton - Carnival - No Reason to Cry - 1976
Eric Clapton - Cocaine - Slowhand - 1977
Eric Clapton - Tulsa Time - Backless - 1978
Fleetwood Mac - Dreams - Rumours (CD 1) - 1977
Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere - Tango in the Night - 1987
Fleetwood Mac - Rhiannon - Fleetwood Mac - 1975
Foreigner - Waiting for a Girl Like You - 4 - 1981
George Michael - Fastlove - Older - 1996
George Michael - Freedom 90 - Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1 - 1990
George Michael - I Want Your Sex (Parts 1 & 2) - Faith - 1987
Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street - One More Dream - 1995
Gerry Rafferty - Get It Right Next Time - One More Dream - 1995
Gerry Rafferty - Right Down the Line - One More Dream - 1995
Graham Nash - We Can Change the World - Songs for Beginners - 1971
Grateful Dead - Cumberland Blues - What a Long Strange Trip: The Best of the Grateful Dead (CD 2) - 1977
Grateful Dead - Playing in the Band - What a Long Strange Trip: The Best of the Grateful Dead (CD 2) - 1977
Grateful Dead - Ship of Fools - From the Mars Hotel - 1974
Hall & Oates - I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) - Private Eyes - 1981
Hall & Oates - Kiss on My List - Voices [Bonus Tracks] - 1980
Hall & Oates - Rich Girl - Bigger Than Both of Us - 1976
Hall & Oates - Sara Smile - Daryl Hall & John Oates - 1975
Hall & Oates - She's Gone - Abandoned Luncheonette - 1973
Hall & Oates - You Make My Dreams - Voices [Bonus Tracks] - 1980
Harry Chapin - Cat's In The Cradle - Verities & Balderdash - 1974
Harry Nilsson - Coconut - Nilsson Schmilsson - 1971
Harry Nilsson - Gotta Get Up - Nilsson Schmilsson - 1971
INXS - Mystify - Kick - 1987
INXS - New Sensation - Kick - 1987
INXS - Original Sin - The Swing - 1984
J.J. Cale - Call Me the Breeze - Naturally - 1971
Jackson Browne - Doctor My Eyes - Saturate Before Using - 1972
Jackson Browne - Here Come Those Tears Again - The Pretender - 1976
James Ingram with Michael McDonald - Yah Mo B There - It's Your Night - 1983
James Taylor - That's Why I'm Here - That's Why I'm Here - 1985
James Taylor - Your Smiling Face - JT - 1977
Jimmy Buffett - Margaritaville - Songs You Know By Heart - 1985
Joe Jackson - Steppin' Out - Night and Day - 1982
Joe Walsh - Over and Over - But Seriously, Folks... - 1978
Joe Walsh - Rocky Mountain Way - The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get - 1973
Joe Walsh - Turn To Stone - So What - 1974
Journey - Don't Stop Believin' - Escape - 1981
Journey - Who's Crying Now - Escape - 1981
Laura Nyro & Labelle - Jimmy Mack - Gonna Take A Miracle [Expanded] - 1971
Laura Nyro & Labelle - You've Really Got A Hold On Me - Gonna Take A Miracle [Expanded] - 1971
Linda Ronstadt - You're No Good - Greatest Hits - 1976
Little Feat - Dixie Chicken - Dixie Chicken - 1973
Little Feat - Long Distance Love - The Last Record Album - 1975
Little Feat - Rocket in My Pocket - Time Loves a Hero - 1977
Little Feat - Strawberry Flats - Little Feat - 1971
Loudon Wainwright III - Watch Me Rock I'm Over Thirty - Final Exam - 1978
Michael Jackson - It's the Falling in Love - Off the Wall - 1979
Michael Jackson - P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) - Thriller - 1982
Paul Young - Everytime You Go Away - The Secret of Association - 1985
Peter Frampton - Show Me the Way - Frampton Comes Alive! - 1976
Rickie Lee Jones - Chuck E.'s in Love - Rickie Lee Jones - 1979
Robert Palmer - Every Kinda People - Double Fun - 1978
Robert Palmer - I Didn't Mean To Turn You On - Riptide - 1985
Robert Palmer - Johnny and Mary - Clues - 1980
Robert Palmer - Looking for Clues - Clues - 1980
Robert Palmer - Pressure Drop - Pressure Drop - 1975
Ry Cooder - 634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.) - Borderline - 1980
Ry Cooder - Why Don't You Try Me - Borderline - 1980
Sade - No Ordinary Love - Love Deluxe - 1992
Sade - Why Can't We Live Together? - Diamond Life - 1984
Sade - Your Love Is King - Diamond Life - 1984
Seals & Crofts - Summer Breeze - Greatest Hits - 1975
Seals & Crofts - We May Never Pass This Way (Again) - Greatest Hits - 1975
Steely Dan - Deacon Blues - Aja - 1977
Steely Dan - Dirty Work - Can't Buy a Thrill - 1972
Steely Dan - Haitian Divorce - The Royal Scam - 1976
Steely Dan - Hey Nineteen - Gaucho - 1980
Steely Dan - Only a Fool Would Say That - Can't Buy a Thrill - 1972
Steely Dan - Peg - Aja - 1977
Steely Dan - Reelin' in the Years - Can't Buy a Thrill - 1972
Steve Miller Band - Fly Like an Eagle - Fly Like an Eagle - 1976
Steve Miller Band - Swingtown - Book of Dreams - 1977
Stevie Nicks - Nightbird - The Wild Heart - 1983
Stevie Nicks - Wild Heart - The Wild Heart - 1983
Supertramp - Breakfast in America - Breakfast in America - 1979
Supertramp - Take the Long Way Home - Breakfast in America - 1979
The Beach Boys - It's OK - 15 Big Ones - 1976
The Beach Boys - Susie Cincinnati - 15 Big Ones - 1976
The Cars - My Best Friend's Girl - The Cars - 1978
The Cars - You're All I've Got Tonight - The Cars - 1978
The Doobie Brothers - Dependin' On You - Minute By Minute - 1978
The Doobie Brothers - It Keeps You Runnin' - Takin' It To The Streets - 1976
The Doobie Brothers - Takin' It To the Streets - Takin' It To The Streets - 1976
The Doobie Brothers - What A Fool Believes - Minute By Minute - 1978
The Dream Academy - Life in a Northern Town - The Dream Academy - 1985
The Isley Brothers - Summer Breeze - 3 + 3 - 1973
The Isley Brothers - That Lady, Pts. 1 & 2 - 3 + 3 - 1973
The Jacksons - Lovely One - Triumph - 1980
The Jacksons - Man of War - Goin' Places - 1977
The Jacksons - State of Shock (feat. Mick Jagger) - Victory - 1984
The Walker Brothers - We're All Alone (Boz Scaggs) - Lines - 1976
Todd Rundgren - I Saw the Light - Something/Anything? (CD 1) - 1972
Tom Petty - Free Fallin' - Full Moon Fever - 1989
Tom Petty - I Won't Back Down - Full Moon Fever - 1989
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - American Girl - Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - 1976
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - Don't Come Around Here No More - Southern Accents - 1985
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - Here Comes My Girl - Damn the Torpedoes - 1979
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - Learning to Fly - Into the Great Wide Open - 1991
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - Southern Accents - Southern Accents - 1985
Van Morrison - Bright Side of the Road - Into the Music - 1979
Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl - 1968